Lenovo's solid strategy, excellent marketing drive successLenovo has found success with a strong PC and smartphone strategy, and by "executing some of the strongest marketing programs I've ever seen," Rob Enderle writes. While others have been quick to abandon the PC, Lenovo has kept its focus, while aiming its smartphone business at areas where competitors are weak such as China. But above all else, "Lenovo wins because it invests in marketing, it gets quality marketing people, and it executes strong demand-focused campaigns -- using both traditional and social mechanisms -- that drive people to its products," Enderle adds. TechNewsWorld
(12/3)

Eye on Marketing

What to watch out for in content marketingEven if your content-marketing strategy is working at the moment, a number of changes might be coming that could affect its performance, John Paul Nettles writes. Marketers should track key metrics, cater to mobile viewers and ensure they are distributing high-quality content. RepCapitalMedia.com
(12/3)

11 business trends to help you build a strong foundationConcentrating your efforts on solid foundational changes can help to avoid chasing trends around to no purpose. Consider a focus on the rise of Big Data, the changing face of the office space, the return of domestic manufacturing or the transparency movement. And even some superficial trends contain deeper exploitable insights: The move toward so-called "cosmeceuticals," hot sauce replacing ketchup, energy drinks substituting for soda pop, and the return of creative financing are among others discussed in this list by Entrepreneur magazine. Entrepreneur online
(12/3)

4 ways B2Bs can use LinkedIn's Company, Product pagesOne of the best ways to take advantage of LinkedIn's new Company pages is by listing all the employees to increase the company's reach, Artillery principal Douglas Burdett writes. Use and track different pages for various products and services to see which ones are raising product awareness. And notice LinkedIn provides its own jobs search engine, and Products pages can serve lead-generation efforts, Burdett writes. B2C Marketing Insider
(12/3)

Nearly rule-free contests on Pinterest promote creativityPinterest is the best social network for running a contest, Pamela Vaughan writes. The company's rules make common sense -- such as not rewarding the simple act of pinning photos, but only the repinning or liking of something -- and avoid the complication of discouraging regulations. Eight real-world examples of Pinterest contests, including those by High Point Market, Emailvision and HP, could inspire you to create visual interest and buzz at the same time. HubSpot.com/Inbound Internet Marketing Blog
(12/3)

Innovation

Why every company needs a boss of innovationTo create a culture of innovation, start by creating an innovation infrastructure, advises Rowan Gibson. Appoint an "innovation czar" to oversee your company's creativity, along with part-time "innovation mentors" and full-time "innovation consultants" to coach and support future innovators. InnovationExcellence.com
(12/1)

How to escape bad networking connectionsTo make a graceful exit from an awkward networking situation, try introducing the person to someone else or simply say you're very busy and will have to decline future invitations until your schedule clears up, experts say. You also can state you "appreciate them reaching out" but you don't think your "skill set/area of expertise, etc., would be of benefit to them," says Meghan Ely, owner of OFD Consulting. AOL Jobs/CareerBuilder
(12/3)